How to Set Up Spider Solitaire: A Step-by-Step Guide

Unlike classic Klondike, Spider Solitaire is a "two-deck" game. This makes the setup a bit more complex and requires a lot of table space. If you have 104 physical cards ready to go, this guide will show you exactly how to deal them for a standard game.

Spider Solitaire is famous for its difficulty and strategy. While it is challenging to win, the spider solitaire layout is satisfyingly symmetrical once you get it right.

The Step-by-Step Spider Setup

1. Prepare Two Decks – You need two full 52-card decks (104 cards total). Shuffle them together thoroughly. In the 1-suit version, you treat all cards as Spades, but for the physical setup, just ensure you have 104 cards.
2. Deal the Tableau (10 Columns) – Deal out 10 cards side-by-side in a horizontal row, face down. These represent the 10 columns of your Tableau.
3. Build the Columns – Continue dealing cards face down onto these 10 columns until:
- The first 4 columns have 5 cards each (all face down).
- The remaining 6 columns have 4 cards each (all face down).
4. The Face-Up Card – Deal one final card face up on top of each of the 10 columns. At this point, you should have 54 cards on the table.
5. Create the Stock Pile – Place the remaining 50 cards face down in a pile in the upper corner. This is your Stock. In Spider Solitaire, you deal from the stock in "rounds" of 10 cards (one for each column) when you get stuck.

Spider Solitaire Layout Checklist

Before you start playing, double-check your board:

Do you have 10 columns?
Are the first 4 columns taller (6 cards total) than the last 6 columns (5 cards total)?
Is there exactly one card face-up on every column?
Do you have a thick pile of 50 cards left over for the Stock?

Common Questions

Can I play with just one suit?
Yes! While the setup is the same, many beginners play "1-Suit Spider" where you ignore the actual suit and color of the cards, treating them all as the same. This makes building sequences much easier.

What is the goal?
The goal is to arrange cards in the tableau in descending order (King down to Ace) of the same suit. Once a full sequence is made, it is removed from the board. You win when all 104 cards are cleared.

Tired of Shuffling 104 Cards?

Setting up Spider Solitaire by hand takes time, and one wrong move can ruin the game. Neon Solitaire offers instant setup for 1-Suit, 2-Suit, and 4-Suit Spider modes with a single tap.

Download on iOS Download on Android Play Spider Web Version